Johnson Urged by All Jewish Religious
Groups to Resist Pressures for Escalation of
War; JWV Replies Bitterly to Rabbis' Rebuke
Conservative, Orthodox and Re-
form Jewish spokesmen joined
Sunday in a plea to President
Johnson. to resist pressures for es-
calating the war in Vietnam if the
administration's current peace of-
fensive should fail.
The action came in a policy
statement issued by the Synagogue
Council of America, coordinating
agency for six congregational and
rabbinical bodies representing
3,500,00 American Jews.
The appeal to President John-
son marked the first time that the
entire Jewish religious community
has taken a position on an inter-
national issue going beyond imme-
diate Jewish concern.
Rabbi Seymour J. Cohen of
Chicago, president of the Council,
announced that the Synagogue
Council would convene a "Con-
ference on. Judaism and World
Peace" in New York Feb. 22, to
bring t o g e t h.e.r representative
spokesmen of the Jewish religious
community for a discussion of
"the relevance of Jewish religious
tradition to the major problem of
our age, world peace."
In addition to Rabi Cohen, the
policy statement of the Synagogue
Council was signed by Rabbis Ja-
cob J. Weinstein, Chicago, presi-
dent, Central Conference of Amer-
ican Rabbis; Max J. Routtenberg,
Rockville Centre, N. Y., president.
Rabbinical Assembly; Israel Miller,
Bronx, N. Y., president, Rabbinical
Council of America; and Maurice
N. Eisendrath, New York, presi-
dent, Union of American Hebrew
Congregations; Moses I. Feu-
erstein, New York, president, Un-
ion of Orthodox Jewish Congrega-
tions of America; and Henry N.
Rapaport, White Plains, N. Y.,
president, United Synagogue of
America.
The religious leaders recom-
mended that the United States
• explore every possible avenue
leading to negotiations for a
cease-fire agreement among the
governments of the United
States, of North and South Viet-
nam, and "including representa-
tion for the National Liberation
Front, and other interested par-
ties."
The Synagogue Council state-
ment voiced "deep concern" that
if the present halt in the bombing
of North Vietnam failed to elicit a
positive response from Hanoi, "dis-
couragement and frustration might
alter the present character of the
conflict as a limited war for lim-
ited goals." The statement cau-
tioned:
"The danger of new pressures
for unlimited escalation of the
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war resulting from impatience and
disappointment is grave indeed.
"Such an escalation would not
only fail to achieve our goals, it
would also ultimately involve the
world in a war of mutual destruc-
tion.
"Our religious conscience com-
pels us to exert every influence
so that the action in Vietnam can
be moved from the battlefield to
the negotiating table.
"We recognize that those who
see the need, for checking Com-
munist subverision by miliary
means are no less dedicated to the
cause of a just world peace than
those who believe the United
States must cease hositilities in
Vietnam.
"We do believe, however, that
the imperatives of our religious
commitments call for the recom7
mendations we prayerfully put for-
ward and commend to the atten-
tion of our synagogues throughout
the land."
The Synagogue Council com-
mended President Johnson's ac-
tion in halting the bombing of
Vietnam, declaring:
"It serves as a convincing
demonstration that despite pres-
sures from some quarters for a
military solution to the problem,
the purpose of our military ef-
fort in Vietnam remains one
that is aimed at speeding an
honorable settlement.
"It is also a convincing dem-
onstration of the integrity of
President Johnson's public ex-
pressions of our willingness to
negotiate unconditionally."
JWV Challenges Rabbis
to State Position
10 Israel Cities and Towns on Stamps
abiding protests and peaceful dem-
onstrations have always been a part
of the American tradition.
"5. JWV, because of the possibility
of misleading the Communists, de-
terring peace negotiations and pos-
sibly prolonging the war, sharply dis-
agrees with the actions of this dis-
senting minority.
"In the light of the foregoing, it is
the ,TWV, rather than the rabbis, which
should express 'shock and dismay' at
the distortions leveled at our orga-
nization.
"My visit to the scene of the hos-
tilities in Vietnam was a fact-finding
tour paid for by the membership of
the Jewish War Veterans. No public
funds were utilized for this purpose.
"While in Vietnam, my aide and I
worshipped with Rabbi Richard E.
Dryer, Senior Jewish Chaplain in that
country. Unlike his colleagues more
than 10,000 miles from the battlefront,
Rabbi Dryer did address himself in
support of the basic issue of American
policy in Vietnam.
"Another inexcusable distortion in
the Rabbis' statement is to charge that
JWV presumes to speak for American
Jewry at large. JWV speaks only for
itself. The rabbis should have more
respect for truth, before alleging 'ar-
rogance' and 'effrontery' on the part
of JWV.
"Overwhelming suport, as much as
75 per cent, by the American people
for President Johnson's policies in
Vietnam has been attested to repeat-
edly by reputable opinion surveys. It
is logical to assume that Americans
of the Jewish faith agree in the same
proportion. Clearly JWV support of
our government's policy coincides with
American public opinion. Who is more
representative of American Jewish
opinion, JWV or the two rabbis?"
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Milt Levin
Members of Landsmanshaften Societies, Bnai Brith Lodges,
Chapters and Friends Are Cordially Invited to an .
EVENING OF CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT
In Honor of Jewish National Fund Month
Guest Speaker
Toastmaster
Milton A. Waldor, national com-
mander of the Jewish War Veter-
ans, said the attack by Rabbis
Maurice N. Eisendrath and Jacob
J. Weinstein on JWV's Vietnam
policy is "a distortion of our or-
ganization's position." In his re-
ply he said:
THURSDAY
JANUARY 27th
at 8:30 P.M.
"JWV's policy is to urge and sup-
port peace negotiations. If any or all
such peaceful negotiations are re-
fused and rejected by the Communists,
JWV supports the governmental mea-
sures necessary to consummate a suc-
cessful conclusion of the hostilities.
Historically, on the record; JWV has
opposed and continues to oppose the
use of atomic weapons in Vietnam.
Any other implication is false and in-
accurate.
"Since June 1965, JWV has clearly
and unequivocally taken the follow-
ing positions:
"1. JWV supports U.S. policies and
actions in Vietnam as vitally neces-
sary deterrents- to Communist expan-
sion and as part of America's secur-
ity.
"2. JWV supports and commends
the President for his efforts to
achieve a negotiated peace.
"3. JWV commends the Civic Ac-
tion programs of our government
and forces in Vietnam, as a 'top
priority in urgency and importance
fully equal to military priorities.'
"4. JWV affirms the right of Amer-
icans to dissent from our govern-
ment's policies in Vietnam since law-
BARNETT PONTIAC
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Aaron Rosenberg
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Special Exam Day OK'd
for Jewish Applicants
to Civil Service Jobs
WASHINGTON (JTA) — The
U.S. Civil Service Commission is
making special provision for Jew-
ish applicants to take examinations
for federal summer jobs on a day
other than Saturday.
Civil Service Commissioner
John W. Macy, in a letter to Sen.
Hugh Scott, Pennsylvania Repub-
lican, responded to the Senator's
complaint that some applicants
could not take tests on the Jewish
Sabbath. The commissioner said
such applicants will be permitted
to fill out Form 127 which pro-
vides special examinations, for ap-
plicants who observe the Sabbath
on Saturday. .
The regular examination will be
held in various places throughout
the nation on a Saturday in Jan-
uary or February. The tests will
be for 1966 summer jobs in the
executive branch of the federal
government for positions as clerks,
stenographers, typists, office ma-
chine operators and some scien-
tific assistants.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
10—Friday, January 21, 1966
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